"Few individuals significantly
alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly
anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did
all three."

Stanley
Wolpert

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born in Karachi on December
the 25th, 1876, in a building known as Wazir Mansion. He got his early education
at Sindh Madrassat-ul-Islam and the Christian Mission School at his birth place.
Quaid-e-Azam joined the Lincoln's Inn in 1893 to become the youngest Indian
to be called to the bar, three years later. He saw the name of Hazrat Muhammad
(PBUH) as the great law giver of the world on the top of the gate of Lincoln's
Inn. So he decided to study there. After his return, Quaid-e-Azam started his
practice in law. Quaid-e-Azam joined Indian National Congress in 1906, as his
first entry into politics. In January 1910, Quaid-e-Azam was elected to the
newly-constituted Imperial Legislative Council. He attended for the first time
a meeting of All India Muslim League in 1912. Later he Joined All India Muslim
League in 1913. The third political party he joined was the Home Rule League.
He was member of both the Congress and Muslim League at the same time. Initially
he remained working with the Hindu leaders of Congress. He was given the title
of "Ambassador of Hindu Muslim Unity" by prominent politicians. With the passage
of time he realised that the Hindu leaders of Congress have a different agenda.
Opposed to Hindu leaders' Non-co-operation Movement and their essentially Hindu
approach to politics, Quaid-e-Azam left the Congress and became fully involved
with Muslim League.

Quaid-e-Azam was a man of principles. He was probably the only person
among all the big leaders of the subcontinent, who never went to jail. His motto
was: Unity, Faith and Discipline.

When Muslim League finally decided to have a separate country
for Muslims of the subcontinent, it was the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam which led the
nation to achieve this goal. Because of these leadership qualities and his firm
stand on the issue, Britishers found no way to reject the demand of Muslims
of the subcontinent for a separate homeland. He took charge as the first Governor
General of Pakistan on 14th of August 1947 in a ceremony at Karachi. India never
took risk of invading Hyderabad or Junagarh in his life. Quaid-e-Azam died on September
the 11th, 1948, at Ziarat near Quetta. He was buried in Karachi. His tomb is
a beautiful piece of architecture and is worth visiting.

On August 15th, 1947 he addressed to the nation over the radio
as following.

"The creation of the new state has placed
a tremendous responsibility on the citizens of Pakistan. It gives them an opportunity
to demonstrate to the world how a nation containing many elements can live in
peace and amity and work for the betterment of all its citizens irrespective
of caste or creed. Our object should be peace within, and peace without. We
want to live peacefully and maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate
neighbours and with the world at large."